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The KLR Lives! Updated Kawasaki KLR650 Announced for 2022

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When it comes to motorcycles with a cult following, at the top of the list has to be the Kawasaki KLR650.

This durable dual-sport has won over the hearts and minds of legions of adventuring types, despite its unchanged architecture and questionable aesthetics.

So, you can imagine the backlash that occurred when the venerable KLR650 was rumored to be on the chopping block, especially as the Euro5 homologation loomed.

For these loyal riders, the news was like a family member had died, and that Team Green had abandoned a core constituency to the cold dark night of ADV riding on another model.

Fear not, loyalists. The Kawasaki KLR650 lives to fight for another day, and the iconic machine re-debuts today as a 2022 model year machine, with a number of smart updates to its rugged design.

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Dirt

Toby Price Fixes Slashed Tire with Zip-Ties an Duct Tape, Still Finishes 2nd

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Toby Price, you are a damn legend. Anyone who wins a Dakar Rally is truly worthy of such praise, but this year Price really earned the mantle.

After a rest day on Saturday, Sunday’s Stage 7 was always going to be a tough one, as it is what the Dakar Rally calls a “marathon” stage.

On top of the usual difficulty one finds racing in The Dakar, competitors are left at the end of the day to fix their own machines – their mechanics cannot help them. 

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Bikes

Come Drool Over the 2021 Honda CRF450 Rally Race Bike

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Today marks Stage 2 of the 2021 Dakar Rally, which means that the field is starting to separate a bit through the timed special stages. The day was a fruitful expedition for the Honda boys, with Joan Barreda leading the pack, with Ricky Brabec in close pursuit. 

That’s good news for HRC, as the Japanese brand hopes to defend its historic #1 plate from last year, which Brabec won by upsetting KTM’s 18-year winning streak at the iconic rally-raid.

Helping Brabec & Co. challenge for victory is the 2021 Honda CRF450 Rally – an off-road racing platform that has evolved over multiple years of development into a proper dirt bike weapon.

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Dirt

Take a Lap Around the VR46 Moto Ranch Flat Track Circuit with Valentino Rossi

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It is no secret that motorcycle racers at the top of the sport use flat track as a way to hone their skills during the season. The practice dates all the way back to Kenny Roberts Sr., and has stayed in the grand prix paddock ever since.

Like all great champions though, Valentino Rossi has taken things to the next level, building his own private flat track course near his home in Tavullia, Italy.

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A&R Pro

Canuck Chronicles – December 2020

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Things looked bad for the Canadian motorcycle industry last spring. By April, most of the country was under some sort of lockdown, including many motorcycle dealerships.

Along with the general worry over the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on health and the economy, moto-industry insiders were specifically concerned over the lockdown timing.

Motorcycling is tied to the seasons in Canada. Even in British Columbia and southern Ontario, the warmest parts of the country, most riders put their bikes away in the fall and bring them out for spring - and spring is also the busiest selling season for new bikes, and new gear. Dealers feared the lockdown would torpedo that sales boost, and potentially put them out of business.

We did see sales flatline in April, but we didn’t see lots of dealers going out of business. What did happen was weird, and unexpected.

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Rumors

The Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Will Start Around $17,000

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As we get closer to the debut of the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 for the 2021 model year, information about this adventure bike is making its way into Harley-Davidson’s various channels, which means it’s making its way into the ears of our Bothan spies.

First reported on the Brap Talk motorcycle podcast, our initial news is that the Pan America will debut at a fairly affordable price for the category, starting around the $17,000 mark.

With all the bells and whistles installed, the bike is still expected to be a sub-$20,000 machine, which makes it one of the more affordable luxury ADV bikes on the market.

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Dirt

Honda XR650R Supermoto by VMX Restomod

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The “Big Red Pig” (as it is affectionately known) is a stalwart in Honda’s dirt bike lineup.

That is to say, the Honda XR650 has gone relatively unchanged over the past 20 years, and yet the big 644cc thumper has a loyal, loyal following.

In the US market, we have lost the “R” spec machine, but the XR650L continues on, as a plated dual-sport that comes in a mild, yet reliable tune.

So, when VMX Restomod cranked the bike up to 11 in order to make it into a proper street-legal supermoto, it got our attention.

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